The Long And Winding Road
Notes: With this chapter, it's back to the present. Glad everyone has been enjoying the journey so far and posting thoughts and comments. As always, I don't own the show, the characters, etc.
Chapter 7 -- One
The Movie Difference was a small theater located only a short distance from Degrassi Community School. It housed two screens. One of those was reserved on Saturday afternoons and evenings for old comedies.
On this particular Saturday, assistant manager JT – done working for the day – sat inside this room in his usual aisle seat. The place wasn't packed with people, but there were – as always for the classics features – enough kids, families and senior citizens filling the room to help keep the low-maintenance establishment going. Emma soon entered and took her usual seat beside JT.
"Hey Emma," he greeted.
JT had always been glad to see Emma, but he noticed that, more and more, the highlight of each day had become the time he spent with her. Still, with a double date planned for later in the evening that he wasn't looking forward to, JT was determined to keep his growing feelings for his best friend to himself.
"Hi JT," she answered him in return.
Emma had spent much of her life hanging out with JT, but of late she found herself feeling butterflies in her stomach whenever she was about to see him. Still, she had an obligation to see this evening's unfortunate double date through to the end and was determined not to let on how deep the feelings for her best friend had become.
"We still have a few minutes before the first show starts," JT said. "Want a snack or anything?"
"No thanks," Emma replied. "I don't feel up to living dangerously this afternoon."
"So, Emma…you're looking nice."
"Well…first date tonight," she explained, though in actuality she was trying to look nice for JT, not Patrick. "I want to make a good impression."
"Definitely," he agreed, though he was wishing that she wasn't interested in making a good impression on another man.
"Because a good first date could lead to…"
"A second date?" JT suggested.
"Huh? Oh, right, a second date. That would be just the thing to hope for. Yes indeed."
Emma hoped that her words sounded more convincing to JT than they did to her.
"Patrick is one lucky guy, Emma."
"Thanks, JT. I suppose you're excited about your date with Liberty."
"Words can't express how excited this date makes me," JT responded sarcastically.
"Are you okay?" Emma then asked. "You look a little tired."
"I didn't have time to get a lot of sleep. You may remember that unexpected, rather peculiar, gathering at my place last night. Then I had to get up early today to work here. Change the signs outside. Make sure we have all the supplies we need for the concession area. Have the films ready. Stuff like that. And of course the usual paperwork. What about you? What have you done today?"
"I slept," she answered.
JT started laughing.
"Hold on!" Emma added. "That's not all I did. I also wrote editorials to submit to both the school paper and the local paper."
JT rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry, JT. I didn't overdo it."
"So they aren't articles about people not reading your previous articles?"
Emma laughed at this.
"Nothing so extreme," she assured him.
"That's good. I'm sure they'll make interesting reading."
"Thanks. I hope so."
"I know so, Emma," JT said without hesitation. "You're not only one of the best writers Degrassi has ever seen, but one of the most convincing. If only…"
"Yes?"
"Nothing," he replied, realizing he almost said too much. "So…nice weather we're having, isn't it?"
"Yes, very," she said, also realizing that the weather was a safe, emotion-free topic. "It's nice. Very nice. I was just thinking how nice the weather is."
"Yes, such a nice day to be outdoors," JT added. "Unless you're indoors. Like us. Not that it STOPS being nice to be outdoors just because you're indoors. Just that even if you're indoors when it's a nice day to be outdoors you can still have a nice day inside. Like we're doing here this afternoon. Indoors."
"I…couldn't have put it better myself," Emma said, once she was sure JT had finished rambling.
JT realized this situation had gotten ridiculous.
"Emma, I've got to be honest with you about something, and all this small talk isn't cutting it."
"I agree, JT. I'm so glad we're on the same wavelength."
'Could it be?' Emma thought. 'Am I really not alone in wanting something to happen between us? Then I could finally stop thinking about having to go on this stupid date with Patrick and just spend the rest of the day alone with JT like I really want.'
"Yeah, Emma. We do seem to be on the same wavelength. About most things. That's why I think I should tell you this. You see, it's about this double date tonight."
"I'm so glad you brought this up, JT. That date has been on my mind all day."
"Oh. Really? All day?"
'I guess she's more excited about her night with Pat than I realized if she's been thinking about it all day,' JT thought.
He became disheartened, misunderstanding the real reason the upcoming date had been on Emma's mind.
'It was stupid of me to get my hopes up. I'm her best friend. I should be grateful for that much and stop wishing for something I can never have.'
"Tell me, JT," Emma interrupted his thoughts. "About tonight. What are you thinking?"
"I guess it's not really so important," he said, trying not to sound disappointed. "I, um, was just surprised you were so interested in Pat."
"In who?" she asked.
"Your date," he replied. "What did you think I was going to say?"
"Oh. Pat. Of course. Sure. Why not? Patrick is…Well, he's a nice guy."
"One of the nicest," JT agreed, not catching the hint of disappointment in her voice.
"And he's interested in dating me," Emma added. "It won't be the same as dating you, though."
"Dating me?" JT questioned, confused.
"Did I say that?" Emma asked, growing nervous. "Yes, well…what I mean to say is…Liberty has known you much longer than Patrick has known me, so naturally the relationships are a little different."
'I'm an idiot,' Emma thought.
"Right…Liberty," JT said, disappointed.
"But I interrupted you, JT. Please, finish telling me what you wanted to say."
The lights then went down and the first movie began.
"That was about it," JT whispered.
"Oh…Okay," Emma whispered back.
'I'm an idiot,' JT thought.
They began watching "The Gold Rush," followed by a second, shorter Chaplin film. They laughed and enjoyed the comedies, but neither of them was fully concentrating on what was on the screen.
At one point, Emma had her hand laying on the armrest between them when JT reflexively put his hand on the same armrest – his hand ending up on top of hers. Neither even realizing it, their hands quickly intertwined, remaining held together until the final movie ended. The pair remained seated as light returned and everyone else filed out of the room.
"That was great," Emma was the first to comment. "I hadn't seen either of those before."
"I've seen them a couple times, but never on the big screen," JT said. "Being able to watch these films here, and share them with you…I mean, you and the rest of the city…it's hard to think of a job I'd enjoy more."
"Don't forget how good you are at the business side of the job," she reminded him.
"I guess I surprised a lot of people who never thought I could be responsible enough or smart enough for something like this…looking over budgets, dealing with suppliers, handling customer service issues."
"Maybe," Emma said, "but it didn't surprise ME a bit. I always knew you could do it, JT. You just needed a setting that could motivate you. Maybe you wouldn't try as hard if this were just some office building. But here, you get the business experience and movie magic all rolled into one."
"I think you're right, Emma. I have to say, it's also nice to be reminded how much you believe in…"
JT happened to look down, and for the first time he realized that they had been holding hands for quite some time.
"JT?"
Emma then looked down to see what JT noticed, and then she too realized they were holding hands all that time. It was something that felt so natural and right to them both that neither of them had even noticed when it happened.
"Well…" JT said, not able to think of anything better to say.
"So…" Emma responded, having similar communication difficulty.
"I guess we'd better go, Emma."
"You're right. We have people waiting for us outside."
"You wouldn't want to keep Pat waiting," he cautioned.
"Or you Liberty."
"Yeah, I'd never hear the end of it," JT joked. He then started to mimic how Liberty would react. "'Our first date in years, JT, and you keep me waiting 5 minutes? I could have written 5 term papers in all that time. Now you owe me 5 extra dates.'"
Emma laughed for several moments, until they both looked back down at their still united hands.
"It's time," JT said, with no enthusiasm.
"It's time," Emma repeated, with the same lack of interest.
They separated their hands, stood up and looked at one another like they each wanted to say something, but they left the room without speaking further.
Meanwhile, Manny walked quickly up the stairs of an apartment complex several miles away. She approached the front door to a second-floor apartment and hurriedly knocked on the door. In a few moments someone finally opened it.
"Good!" Manny exclaimed. "You're here. I know I should have called, but I had to see you and took a chance you might be home."
"Manny, are you okay? Is something wrong?"
The resident who greeted her was Craig Manning.
"No…Yes…I don't know. Craig, I need your help. I think I've made a big mistake."